5 Tips to Decorate an Entryway

I worked in a client’s home recently decorating her entryway and family room. The family room was mostly styling shelves and adding some extra touches around the room, but the entryway got a whole new look! When I first visited my client’s house, I was in awe of how pretty it is…gorgeous woodwork and custom features—her husband is a home builder. Her home was lovely as it was, but we came up with a plan that would enhance its beauty and really show it off.

The main area to be styled was the entryway; the furnishings at the time were all dark + about the same height and nothing was hung on the wall.

My client’s homework for the project was to purchase a console table (I sent her options she could easily choose from)and items for the gallery wall she had requested. I like my clients to buy + collect most of the pieces for their gallery walls since it’s such a personal project and then I fill in with what I think they still need. I also purchased additional accessories for the space that would make it a statement area in the home instead of a spot that could easily get over-looked.

I had a rough plan for how the area, but never know exactly how it will look until I’m able to get in and work with all the décor and move it around to create the perfect space. I love the creativity and artistry of decorating and the different outcome in every project!

My client’s entryway is now fitting of her beautiful home and provides guests a lovely place to come in and feel welcome!

5 Tips to Decorate an Entryway:

1. Lighten-Up—Switch out some of your darker pieces (furniture + décor) for lighter, brighter pieces! Entryways are generally dark, so you want to add in lighter-colored items whenever you can to help reflect light. If you have a plug-in, add a lamp! Lamps create more light (obvs), but also let you create a cozier feeling by having pockets of ambient lighting throughout your home instead of solely relying on over-head light fixtures.

2. Layer Texture—Baskets are my #1 go-to for adding texture in an entryway because they are woven, offer big-impact for little expense (they can be found at thrift stores and garage sales any day of the week), and provide extra storage (winning)! Another option to add texture is layer a placemat or table runner over your console; fabric is an inexpensive way to add big style. You can read more about my love of placemats here.

3. Add Color—Decorating with color is scary for a lot of folks, but it doesn’t need to be! Choose colors you enjoy and want to use throughout your house (whole house color schemes are a story for another day), create a neutral backdrop so you can change colors without having to buy all new, and layer pops of color with more muted pieces for big impact without being overwhelming.

4. Think Vertically— Decorating the wall allows you to design a more impressive display without taking up valuable floor space; this is so important and will make all the difference! It’s a bit scary, I know to put holes in your walls and can be even worse if you don’t have a plan (leading to unwanted/unused holes). If you struggle with what or how to hang, you can always choose a mirror; I love mirrors in an entryway because they create more light and the illusion of more space. If you want something different and more unique, though, a gallery wall is another option. You can read my gallery wall tips and tricks here.

5. Go Green—Adding greenery, whether it’s real or fake brings so much life to a space. Plants work with any color scheme and help all the accent colors to pop even more. I also love to frame an area with tall grasses helping to draw the eye toward that space and away from less desirable spots. This is a great trick for mantels as well (you can read more about that here).

I enjoyed decorating my client’s entryway so much that now I’m in the mood to update my own…so stay tuned, I’m sure I’ll be sharing something about that in the future!